5 Foods to Avoid on Sundays

We all know that expression you are what you eat, and lazy Sundays have a tendency to turn even the health conscious gym-rats into useless bloats. With a long workweek ahead, Sundays are important days for the body to reset and unwind. If you want to look and feel your best at the start of the week, stay away from these tempting indulgences.

Soda. Sugary drinks give you satisfaction in the short term but end up being dehydrating throughout the day, making your body feel like it’s lacking. Aside from physical health, a study by the National Institutes of Health found that people who drank soda, even diet soda, suffer more extreme mood swings and signs of depression than those who choose water or juice. Mondays suck as it is. You definitely don’t want to contribute to post weekend blues by filling your body with depression causing sugar water.

Frozen dinners. Because they can last like, months longer than food is supposed to last, frozen dinners are loaded with sodium and preservatives. This makes you retain water because your body is trying to maintain the electrolyte balance by diluting the salt. If you’re trying to look fresh on Monday morning, stay away from these bloating meals.

Spicy Food. Eating lots of spice has it’s benefits, but too much can result in too much stomach acid, causing heartburn and bloating. Adding too much spice to your food raises your core temperature making it harder for your body to hit REM and get you the good night’s sleep you need to start your week.

Sugary Treats. Aside from the long-term effects of excess sugar consumption like weight gain and insulin resistance, eating too many sweet treats can affect your memory and attention span. Refined sugar slows down neural communication by blocking membranes and interfering with synaptic communication. The spike in insulin also causes an increase in delta, alpha, and theta brain waves, making it harder to think clearly.

White Bread. Unless you’re trying to feel like an energy-depleted balloon on Monday morning, stray away from refined carbohydrates, such as white bread and pasta on Sundays. In all of its tastiness, these carbs cause a rapid spike in blood sugar followed by a sudden drop, so eating these kinds of foods in the evening make for a slow morning. Besides, if you are what you eat, do you really want to be white bread?

Now, don’t stress it. Like most things, moderation is key and there’s no reason to panic if Game of Thrones is about to start and all you want is a frozen pizza. Drinking lots of water, exercise, and a good night’s sleep on Sunday can make for a great start of the week.